Monday, September 28, 2015

FPL violates Endangered Species Act at Turkey Point: Who will sue? ... by gimleteye

Information provided by the Miami-Dade County government to Citizens Allied for Safe Energy, Inc. (CASE), a Florida non-profit corporation, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, reveals an 80% decline in number of threatened American crocodile nests in FPL’S Turkey Point Cooling Canal System in Homestead, FL. The decline has occurred over the past two years since FPL increased the operating temperature in the nuclear reactors at Turkey Point.

Almost a decade ago, Dr. Frank Mazzotti and Dr. Michael S Cherkiss published “Ecology and Conservation of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Florida” (2006). The study clearly shows that American crocodiles are rarely found where salinity is above 35 parts per thousand (ppt) and they prefer salinities of 10-20 ppt. The salinity in FPL’s cooling canals is currently about 90 ppt, three times the salinity of seawater.

“In my 25 years associated with PTN, we have never experienced a situation with emaciated crocodiles (I think we have significantly underestimated the fallout if we are threatening the crocs...).”

In May, 2015, despite FPL’s knowledge of the decline in crocodile health, and the incompatibility of their cooling canal conditions with crocodile survival, FPL continued to tout their stewardship of crocodile population during the NRC hearings on nuclear expansion at Turkey Point.

On July 16, 2015 University of Florida ecologist and crocodile expert Dr. Frank Mazzotti wrote to Mr. John Wrublik of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Vero Beach, FL,

“John FYI, At Turkey Point 5 nests in the system, 2 in the mitigation. Maybe 2 more in the system yet to hatch. 33 hatchlings tagged. In ENP (Everglades National Park) more than 80 nest(s) and over 900 hatchlings tagged. Frank”

In 2013 biologists counted 24 crocodile nests in the canals, 22 in 2014, and only 5 in 2015. This 80% nesting decline follows the rise in temperature and salinity following FPL’s 2013 “uprates” that increased the operating temperature inside the nuclear reactors at Turkey Point.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulator Commission has repeatedly approved changes in operations at Turkey Point previously shown by scientists to create conditions incompatible with the threatened population of American crocodiles. The NRC’s recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) made no mention of this incompatibility.

FPL’s change in operations appears to have precipitated the demise of the Turkey Point crocodile population, one of several flagship species that resides these wetlands. CASE members strongly oppose this latest environmental insult and all damage inflicted on the Southeast Everglades by FPL’s Turkey Point power-generating operation in a fragile wetland ecosystem situated between two National Parks. FPL’s website continues to extol their stewardship of the American crocodile at Turkey Point:

In October, 2014 CASE filed a motion before the Atomic Safety Licensing Board of the NRC opposing actions taken by FPL and approved by the NRC to mitigate the poor conditions in the Turkey Point Cooling Canal System including high temperatures, high salinity, and excessive algae bloom. CASE was granted an evidentiary hearing, which will be held in January 2016 in Homestead FL.

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Quotes hall of fame - worth another look:

Jonathon Dunlop of Australia about the Miami Airport:"This is the most disorganized shambles of an airport that exists on this earth.''April 01, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment on Post__________________________________On "Colony Collapse Disorder":Anonymous said...I say lets wait till the last tree is going to be cut down, the last bit of oil used, the last lowland coastal areas flooded before we make any rash decisions that might effect the economy.April 21, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On Bee “Colony Collapse Disorder” being blamed on cell phones:Anonymous said...Hmmm. What are bees doing with cell phones, anyhow?April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On South Florida Water Supply:Ron Littlepage said...Unfortunately, we know who would win when it comes to allowing development to run amok and it's not the wildlife.April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment Post_________________________________Lesley Blackner said:In Florida, the sad reality is that government exists to serve the development machine, not the citizenry. That's why it's proper to say that in Florida we have government of the developer, by the developer and for the developer.April 22, 2007 Eye on Miami Post_________________________________On City of Miami and Miami Dade County giving $1,000,000 each to Jorge Perez’s Related Group (The Group's 2005 revenues were $3.25 billion.):"It makes as much sense as me donating half my paycheck to Warren Buffett.”May 6, 2007 Miami Herald Columnist Ana Menendez_________________________________On the FCAT Test:"'Florida is a serial mis-user of test scores.''Bob Schaeffer, director for Massachusetts-based FairTest.May 25, 2007 Miami Herald_________________________________Clifford Schulman (Greenberg Traurig Lobbyist):"This is the first time in 33 years that any one has accused me of fraud." June 28, 2007 Miami HeraldI say: hmm.__________________________________Max Rameau, Homeless Activist:"I respect Ron Book for his work with the Homeless Trust, but the Liberty City community and others have given broad support to this idea. I don't know that a big-time millionaire lobbyist can tell us what is best for Liberty City and the black community.'' July 28, 2007 Miami Herald__________________________________"After years of mismanagement under a board of political appointees and neighborhood activists, Miami-Dade County administrators have proposed a new way to run the troubled empowerment zone program. The plan: Bring in new political appointees and neighborhood activists."November 6, 2007 Miami Herald: Reporter Scott Hiaasen______________________________________"Saying "Greater Everglades" and "Northern Everglades" is not saying Everglades -- other places are deserving of being protected too, but there is only one Everglades. The main thing is to keep the 'Main Thing' the main thing -- which, lately, has not been the main thing." Bob Mooney - on Listserve "Everglades Commons"________________________________________"Does anyone in their right mind believe that Florida could conduct postal balloting without a major screw-up or scandal? Heavens, no! The whole country is keenly aware that our state is a sump hole of incompetence and corruption."Carl Hiaasen - March 16, 2008 Miami Herald_______________________________________On the Charter Review: "Commissioners want us to vote on their own pet changes, ideas the review team explicitly rejected. And, they're throwing their blatantly self-serving ballot questions at us at the same time. What a slap in the face to the charter review team — and to all of us!" Michael Lewis of Miami Today - April 10, 2008______________________________________On the Miami Dade County Commission:''Unfortunately, this is a commission that would build a cyanide factory next to a playground if you hired the right 12 lobbyists,'' Miami Lakes Councilman Michael Pizzi - May 14, 2008______________________________________"The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities." President Barack Obama in Fort Meyers - February 10, 2009______________________________________"So."Dick Cheney's response when told that two thirds of Americans did not support the war in Iraq. - Time Magazine 2008______________________________________"It seems like a bad idea can always find a home in the Florida Legislature." - Howard Simon - Executive Director of Florida ACLU - March 24, 2010

______________________________________Complete this sentence: South Florida really needs a..."Regional plan for controlled growth (before it becomes a concrete jungle similar to Houston), and a completely new set of elected officials that make decisions based on what's good for the future of South Florida instead of what's good for their wallets. - Jack McCabe, Real Estate expert who predicted the housing boom's end. - August 29, 2011 Miami Herald